Southern stars put unbeaten streaks on line at Addington

By Jonny Turner 

It must be spring – southern star power is set to hit the track at Addington.

Three quality southern fillies will add depth to Friday's Macca Lodge Sires Stakes Classique (7.45pm) which must rank as one of the strongest early-season fillies' trots seen in years.

Two southerners will put their unbeaten records on the line in Imperious Girl and Duchess Maria.

Imperious Girl could not have been more impressive in her debut campaign when winning her three starts for trainer-driver Craig Ferguson. 

In the last of those, she showed a touch of class when overcoming an early mistake to post a big win.

While confident his filly has the motor to match it with the best of her age-group, trainer-driver Craig Ferguson will get a true line on where Imperious Girl ranks off Friday night.

"We will get a fair idea of where she will measure up – but I do think she will go a good race."

"With what she did earlier on, she showed she's a pretty handy filly."

Both Imperious Girl and Duchess Maria are in a similar spot leading into Friday night's feature.

Both of their trainers would have preferred not to have missed a recent lead-up race.

"She missed a workout and then things just didn't pan out so that she could have a start leading into this week."

"I would have preferred if she had had a run, but she has worked quite nicely this week."

"She will improve with racing but she is forward enough to go a nice race."

"She's an inexperienced horse and has only had the one mobile, so she will need to take that in her stride, but the ability is there."

Duchess Maria was a late scratching at Winton a fortnight ago due to a minor hoof issue.

Trainer-driver Nathan Williamson has had to juggle having the unbeaten trotting star ready for Friday night's feature while sorting out that hoof problem.

"It hasn't been ideal but her work this week has been good, so we think we are on top of things now,” Williamson said. 

"We would have much preferred to have had that race at Winton under our belt."

"I'd be going in a lot more confident if that was the case, but she is a nice filly and I still expect her to be quite competitive."

Another of the southerners hasn't had an ideal lead-up for the Sires Stakes Classique either, in Becky's Girl.

But for much different reasons.

The three-year-old has galloped in two of her last three starts, with an excellent third in between.

Trainer Phil Williamson has given Becky's Girl a quiet trial since and she ran to an easy victory.

With speed to burn, it would be no surprise if the talented three-year-old added a second black-type race to her CV on Friday night.